Weed Warriors are needed to help with invasive species management in the Albany Pine Bush. Preserve Volunteers must be at least 10 years of age and in good physical shape to participate in this project. Trees are girdled with a hand tool called a bark spud.

No previous experience required.  Pre-registration is required.

Please come prepared to be out in the sunshine.

What is Aspen Girdling and why is it done?

While hiking in the Albany Pine Bush Preserve, you may notice that the bark on some trees has been removed near the base. This is called Girdling and is a management technique being used by the Albany Pine Bush Preserve Commission. The goal is to reduce, but not eliminate, the number of aspen trees in the Preserve.

WHY? Aspen trees are native to the Albany Pine Bush. However, because aspen trees are clonal (all trees in an area are connected through their roots), invasive and fast growing, they are out-competing desirable Pine Bush vegetation. Historically, fire maintained the balance between these and the fire adapted species that dominated most of the Pine Bush. Because natural fires have been suppressed for many years, aspen has been rapidly spreading. If the trees are cut they simply resprout from the roots. Girdling exhausts the energy stored in the roots, effectively reducing potential resprouting and therefore reducing the number of aspen trees.

HOW? Trees are girdled with a tool called a bark spud. A sharp blade on the end of a wooden handle is inserted under the bark and used to peel off a portion of the bark near the base of the tree.

WHEN? Aspen trees are most easily girdled from May through July. Volunteers and students from local schools have been helping the Commission with this management of the Preserve.

WHAT IS NEXT? Girdling exhausts the tree slowly over a period of 2-3 years allowing the forest canopy to open up. As sunlight again reaches the ground, native pine barrens vegetation such as scrub-oak, lupine, blueberry and pitch pine will expand to fill the area once again. Regular prescribed burning by the Commission will prevent aspen from spreading into these areas again, in addition to maintaining desirable pine barrens species.

DIRECTIONS TO APB DISCOVERY CENTER: From I-87 take exit 2W (Rt 5 West, Central Avenue). Follow Rt 5 for about 2 miles then turn left onto Rt155 (New Karner Rd). Continue on Rt155 for about 1.2 miles . The DiscoveryCenter is located on the left at 195 New Karner Road.